My Second Favorite Time of Day to Ride

Thursday, Oct 22nd
#387 / #181

This post is for Fran. Not that it makes up or anything, but ...

Evening rides are underratted. Sometimes you get to see wildlife, but not this ride. We did see a lighted up caterpiller of mountain bikers, head lights, tail lights, head lamps. One fellow had no lights at all. A dark 'piller segment.

A group of runners, very good about announcing "bike up". Various other bicyclists of differing levels of intensity.

I did want to yell once, "Think twice before assuming you'll stay ahead of the fat guy on the trike on the down hill. We may be old, but we are more aero than thou!"

My trike continues to behave nicely after last weeks thorough cleaning, but Red Leader's ride is going into the shop again.

His rear derailler got very cozy with the wheel.
Again.
I think one of the chain guides caught on a spoke for an instant, bending the derailluer mount.

He was in the small ring in front, heading up a hill, in a middlish ring in back, shifting to an even larger ring. It jammed right up.

I parked my ride and went to help (I wasn't much help because twist shifters baffle me). For those of you not used to the requirements of a 12 foot chain, the person in front turns the cranks and works the shifters, the person in back holds the rear off the ground and fools with the derailluer. Unless you are Mr. Fantastic, it really takes two people.

We got him in a gear that would work, I shoved from behind to get him going, then gave a rolling assist on the next steep section. We were only a few blocks from the car when this whole thing happened.

Probably no rides for a week or so. Depends.

Oh, my. Every 4 weeks or so, whether we need it or not

I owe you as many blog posts as I have fingers on one hand.

Here goes. Short and sweet because I can't remember much.

Sunday, August 2nd
#382 / #176

I left the title alone on Strava. So this is Morning Ride. I believe, casting my mind back, back, back into the past, that we went counterclockwise around Lake Natoma.
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Saturday, August 29th
#383 / #177

Gosh. I don't even remember. But I was happy to get back on the trike, I do remember that.
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Thursday, October 8th
#384 / #179

Now, this one I do remember. Backwards (counter clockwise) around Lake Natoma. My lack of recent bicycling showed as I blew past Red Leader on little climbs, and then got passed by Mr. Tortoise on longer inclines. Gasp. Gasp. Pant.

Red Leader had had a ride on the 3rd, while I was off trying (and mostly failing) to sell things at a craft fair.
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Sunday, October 11th
#385 / #181

We rode around Folsom. I turned around because my shifting was really weird. Too hot, anyway.

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Sunday, October 18th
#386 / #180

Having cleaned up and lubed my ride the day before, the shifting was perfect and the weather was nice and cool! I amused Red Leader (I frequently do) by putting on arm warmers, a jacket, and a head covering while unloading the bike, then frantically shedding them a minute later when a hot flash came to visit.
We rode from Sunrise to Wm. Pond and back. Red Leader's right knee was bugging him a little bit.
It looks like I won't ride my age in miles on November 5th, but I'll do as long a ride as I can. I do hope I ride again before then, but it does not look good given the past season's spotty performance.